Monthly Archives: January 2015

Next Thursday, 2/5- 5-7pm Make an Easy French Dinner at Home Class at Shouse. Still have a few openings. Message me or leave a comment. Home class on 2/14, 10-12, is full, but I’m taking names for a wait list. Now for the sliders….

Still have openings in my EASY FRENCH 3-COURSE MEAL FOR VALENTINE’S DAY AT HOME: 2-HOUR COOKING CLASS @ SHOUSE APPLIANCE- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5: 5-7PM. INTRODUCTORY OFFER 2 FOR 1. $50.00 for two students–includes food, recipes and ideas for wine pairing.Email me or leave me a message. Can’t wait to cook with you! (Will repeat class at home 2/14 10a-12p–that class is full.) Ok, now on to that salmon.

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Friday evenings I nearly always cook an end-of-the-week hooray dinner. Dave has many times traveled all week or just worked very hard squirreling away down in his home office. I like to put the menu on the board… (below)

..and I like the menu to be quick or easy or both even though we’re setting the table no matter what the meal. (Below) I’m often cheffing the next morning and have been prepping for that during the day or at the very least doing the shopping, organizing, and recipe writing. Continue reading →

Yesterday the dogs and I were stuck in the kitchen (snow’s got us here again)…

as our staircase was being overhauled. Out with the ?-year old carpet, in with hardwood, in with new in-code metal railing. All in all, it’s a two week project and worth every minute of it. Just to think I never have to try and clean carpet on stairs again. (Whose idea was carpet anyway?)

I had a bunch of reading and research to do for my upcoming “Cook and Easy 3-Course Meal for Valentine’s Day” Cooking Class (spaces available 2/5; 5-7pm) and settled on a slow cooker meal to make life simple. I threw it together and had the rest of the day to do as I pleased. I do not use the slow cooker for cooking very often, though when I do I have no idea why I don’t pull it out more often. (The words “pull it out” give you a clue.) I use it regularly to keep things hot at holidays or to take meals to potlucks. If you’re a big slow cooker fan, you should visit Kalyn Denny’s Slow Cooker From Scratch blog for lots of wonderful recipes from around the web–or buy America’s Test Kitchen’s Slow Cooker Revolution- it’s just what it says and is worth the $21 investment; used copies are available, too.Continue reading →

I still have openings in the EASY FRENCH 3-COURSE MEAL FOR VALENTINE’S DAY AT HOME: 2-HOUR COOKING CLASS @ SHOUSE APPLIANCE- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5: 5-7PM. INTRODUCTORY OFFER 2 FOR 1. $50.00 for two students–includes food, recipes and ideas for wine pairing.Email me or leave me a message. Can’t wait to cook with you! (Will repeat class at home 2/14 10a-12p–1 opening left.)

In the midst of worldwide violence and fear, our daily lives somehow continue albeit with increased anxiety and perhaps prayer. Like many, I’m not sure whether or not to turn the television on and, if so, to which channel? I’m grateful for a daily subscription to the New York Times. If we are able to discuss the state of our fellow people globally, what do we say? Are we even educated enough to talk about it?

I once had the honor of reading a good portion of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speechin church on MLK Sunday; I’ll never forget the privilege and the burden of just repeating those famous words within the framework of Sunday worship. Today I’m dreaming of world wide peace and reciprocal acceptance of oppositional beliefs. And the table waits… Continue reading →

EASY FRENCH 3-COURSE MEAL FOR VALENTINE’S DAY AT HOME: 2-HOUR COOKING CLASS @ SHOUSE APPLIANCE- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5: 5-7PM. INTRODUCTORY OFFER 2 FOR 1. $50.00 for two students–includes food, recipes and ideas for wine pairing.Email me or leave me a message. Can’t wait to cook with you! (Will repeat class at home 2/14 10a-12p–1 opening left.) Ok, now on to football food…

I have this sad, old, worn-out, and tired collection of game food recipes. I nearly hate football; I take the Sunday New York Times to Super Bowl Parties and only look up when the food’s served or people are screaming at such a pitch that I’m frightened out of my reverie. Anyway, because it’s just not my thing, I make whatever someone asks me to (once I made gorgeous gingerbread cupcakes-see below ), or if we’re home, I make Dave’s -GAG- hot sausage dip (recipe at bottom) followed by a very-healthy-indeed-chili with a six-pack of beer and call it done. Last year, our son Sean was home and made a half-dozen gorgeous rah-rah dishes including some sort of really hunky stuffed potato skins; he loves football and he’s an ace in the kitchen. Breathe out. This year he’s in his own home and I’m up to bat all alone. Ok, not up to bat; I’m up to the goal line all by myself. Yuck.

So I decided this week to figure out a couple of fun and healthy game day picks ahead of time. I tried out two of them today and I have to say they make me want Sunday to come. No, not really. This Sunday there are football games all afternoon and all evening. (I’ve saved a new Louise Penny book for the long haul.) I’ll say the thought nearly makes me want Super Bowl Sunday to arrive (one game only), which, if you don’t know, is February 1. I had to look it up. Honest. But I absolutely cannot wait to cook and eat this meal again. Continue reading →

EASY FRENCH 3-COURSE MEAL FOR VALENTINE’S DAY AT HOME: 2-HOUR COOKING CLASS @ SHOUSE APPLIANCE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5: 5-7PM. INTRODUCTORY OFFER 2 FOR 1. $50.00 for two students–includes food, recipes and ideas for wine pairing. Email me or leave me a message. Can’t wait to cook with you! Ok, now on to the pie…

I make this apple pie for special people.Special times. I make it when I have a little extra time to think and bake. It’s not simple. I can never remember exactly how to make it. I have two recipes and I never use either one. I use a combination of the two with my own little caveats including a crust I’ve come up with over the years. I think I might have actually documented it now. Make it and let me know. Continue reading →

EASY FRENCH 3-COURSE MEAL FOR VALENTINE’S DAY AT HOME: 2-HOUR COOKING CLASS @ SHOUSE APPLIANCE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5: 5-7PM. INTRODUCTORY OFFER 2 FOR 1. $50.00 for two students–includes food, recipes and ideas for wine pairing. To sign up: Message me on fb if we’re friended, email me, or leave your email or phone in a comment at the end of the blog and I’ll get back to you. (Menu: Carrot Soup with Fresh Herbs, Chicken Fricassee, Chocolate Mousse.) Class limited to 6 students. I’ll repeat this class at home if needed to accommodate more students. Can’t wait to cook and eat with you!

Next week, I’ll be attending a DACOR training session (I work as a chef for them twice a month and demonstrate their products) and of course I’ll feed the team that morning so our brains will absorb the information a bit more quickly. Who doesn’t learn better with eggs, bacon, and cinnamon rolls? I’ll throw in a beautiful bowl of chopped fruit and we’ll have coffee from the built-in coffee system that makes on-demand espresso faster than you can say, “Just sugar, please.” I do lust after that coffee machine, I’ll be honest. Recently a customer bought their second one for the family room in their basement. We do have an electric kettle in the basement. Somehow it just isn’t the same. Hmph. If you’re at home, add a spicy Bloody Mary or a sweet Mimosa along side the coffee. Continue reading →

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